SAN ANTONIO — The clash on San Antonio’s Southside between the McCollum Cowboys and Harlandale Indians took place for the 61st time.  

Dr. Juan Hinojosa is proud this rivalry has a state-of-the-art home. Hinojosa is the director of operations for Harlandale ISD. 

“The kids are used to it from the excitement of the community and just being able to put the whole thing together,” Hinojosa said. “You could definitely feel the vibe and atmosphere at the stadium. It’s definitely something that was well worth it.” 

Hinojosa says the $17 million bond-funded project was worth the money because the stadium has turned into a moneymaker for the district.  

Harlandale ISD can host events. Hinojosa said it was a major reason why the community ultimately voted yes for the bond. 

“This Friday we have a playoff game that we are already hosting.,” Hinojosa said. “We’ve gotten a lot of phone calls to be able utilize and reserve the stadium.” 

“Where it really impacts the community is when teams from outside of San Antonio visit. They have to eat before the game and eat after the game,” Hinojosa added.

Local businesses see a traffic increase, enabling the district to host yearlong UIL visits. Generating money for Harlandale ISD when funding for public schools in Texas hasn’t increased since 2019. 

Across the district, there’s a common idea to maximize existing resources. As the district is updating current facilities, they are repurposing old ones. 

Meghan Guerrero says the district converted the former special needs campus into a technology hub, for makers space, as she calls it.

“We will help you make it, anywhere from dirt and gardening to high-tech drones and robots. There’s a room in this space that has what you need to make it,” Guerrero said. 

Guerreo is the director of CTE, STEM and the gifted and talented program. She says the space here has hosted conferences and competitions. 

“But when we closed this place, we didn’t want our community to feel we were shutting them out, but instead finding ways to bring them in,” Guerrero said. 

Whether it’s a new ROTC building or the state-of-the art stadium, Hinojosa says Harlandale ISD continues to create revenue for the present and future. 

“Because of technology and because of the modern amenities that are around now, we are going to be ahead of area school districts,” Hinojosa said. “Yeah, were they long overdue, but we are definitely going to benefit from it now.”